Another gorgeously readable and oh so captivating slice of historical fiction from Elizabeth Fremantle. Arbella Stuart, with her impressive lineage was a Queen in the making. As Elizabeth I dominated and ferociously defended her reign, Arbella was in a hideously dangerous position as presumed heir. Aemilia Lanyer is a remarkable historical figure in her own right, and in this novel finds her story linked to Arbella, two separate stories, yet the tales intertwine. Arbella’s is told in the first person with a touching fragility and intensity, as Ami reads Arbella’s papers and recollects. Elizabeth Fremantle has such a lyrical and evocative writing style, I bore witness to two women who longed to fly free, I felt their loneliness and pain and supported their strength and tenacity. A sense of foreboding pervades the pages, and knowing the course of history doesn't alter the connection to this story. Haunting, emotional and thought-provoking, ‘The Girl in the Glass Tower’ is a beautiful foray into the past.
Arbella Stuart is trapped behind the towering glass windows of Hardwick Hall. Kept cloistered from a world that is full of dangers for someone with royal blood. Half the country wish to see her on the throne and many others for her death, which would leave the way clear for her cousin James, the Scottish King Arbella longs to be free from her cold-hearted grandmother; to love who she wants, to wear a man's trousers and ride her beloved horse, Dorcas. But if she ever wishes to break free she must learn to navigate the treacherous game of power, or end up dead.
Elizabeth Fremantle is the author of Queen's Gambit, Sisters of Treason and Watch the Lady. She holds a first in English and an MA in Creative Writing from Birkbeck. As a Fashion Editor she has contributed to various publications including Vogue, Elle, and Vanity Fair.
